Miles College
 Official Miles College seal | |
| Latin: Sapientia et Pax et Amor Omnibus | |
Former names | Miles Memorial College |
|---|---|
| Motto | "Knowledge and Peace and Love for all." |
| Type | Private, HBCU |
| Established | 1898 |
| Affiliation | CME Church UNCF |
| President | Dr. George T. French, Jr. |
| Students | 1,823 |
| Location | , , 33°28′50″N 86°54′32″W / 33.48056°N 86.90889°W |
| Campus | 76 acres (310,000 m2) |
| Colors | Purple and Gold [1] |
| Nickname | Golden Bears[1] |
| Affiliations | Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference[1] |
| Mascot | The Golden Bear |
| Website | www.miles.edu |
 | |
Miles College is a historically black college founded in 1898. It is located in Fairfield, Alabama, six miles (10 km) west of Birmingham. It is a private liberal arts institution of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (CME Church). Miles College is also a member of the United Negro College Fund.
History
Miles College began organization efforts in 1893 and was founded in 1898 by the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church. It was chartered as Miles Memorial College, in honor of Bishop William H. Miles. In 1941 the name was changed to Miles College.
Academics
Miles is also accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (for the awarding of baccalaureate degrees), the Alabama State Department of Education, and the Council of Social Work Education. Miles College offers 25 bachelor's degrees in the following divisions: Business and Accounting, Communications, Education, Humanities, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Social and Behavioral Sciences. Also Miles College is one of 41 schools in the Nation with a Center of Academic Excellence under the office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Administration
The current president, since 2005, is George T. French, Jr., a graduate of University of Louisville, Miles Law School and ABD for his PhD from Jackson State University.
Campus
Miles Memorial College Historic District | |
   | |
| Area | 76 acres (31 ha) |
|---|---|
| Built | 1907 |
| Architect | Tisdale, Stone & Patton; Gilreath Construction |
| Architectural style | Bungalow/Craftsman, Beaux Arts |
| NRHP reference No. | 93001031[2] |
| Added to NRHP | January 3, 1994 |
Recently, Miles College purchased the Lloyd Noland Hospital site, which more than doubled the size of the campus. Additionally, the college recently completed the simultaneous construction of a new student activity and dining center, a new welcome and admissions center, and a new 204 bed residence hall. Part of the campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[2]
Sloan Alumni Stadium, named after the college's 13th president, Albert J. H. Sloan II was recently expanded, to include a beautiful $1 million Environ-Turf field.
Student activities
Organizations for students include the Student Government Association, Honors Curriculum, academic clubs, religious organizations, National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations, general interest clubs, a gospel choir, and a concert choir.
Radio Station
The school operates a radio station WMWI-FM 88.7. It was established in 2009 and is licensed to Demopolis, Alabama.[3]
Marching band
The Miles College band is known as the Purple Marching Machine (PMM). The Purple Marching Machine was established in 1996, under the direction of Prof. Arthur Means, Jr. There are nearly 200 members in the band now and it is under the direction of Willie Snipes Jr. The band has performed at the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, numerous battle of the bands, and for the Atlanta Falcons.
Athletics
The Miles College athletics program currently competes in the NCAA Division II's Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC). The Miles football team won the 2011 SIAC championship under coach Reginald Ruffin. The program has men's and women's sports that include: basketball, football, volleyball, track, baseball, softball, cross country, and golf. Their mascot is the Golden Bears.[1]
Notable alumni
| Name | Class year | Notability | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Arrington Jr. | First African-American Mayor of the City of Birmingham | ||
| U. W. Clemon | First African-American federal judge in the State of Alabama | ||
| Jesse Lewis | Founder of the Birmingham Times | ||
| Autherine Lucy | 1952 | First African-American to attend the University of Alabama | |
| Fred Horn | Politician, Former Alabama House of Representatives | ||
| Vince Hill | American football player | ||
| Juandalynn Givan | Politician, Alabama House of Representatives | ||
| Thales McReynolds | Former NBA player | [4] | |
| Bennett M. Stewart | Former Democratic U.S. Representative from Illinois. | ||
| Paul A. G. Stewart | The 50th Bishop of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and Vice Chairperson of Board of Trustees Miles College | ||
| Cleopatra Tucker | Politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2008 |
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e "TheSIAC.com >> Miles College". Retrieved 2008-02-08.
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ "Miles radio station coming to Demopolis". April 22, 2009. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
- ^ "Thales McReynolds NBA statistics".
Additional reading
- Miles College Centennial History Committee. Miles College: The First Hundred Years.
External links
- Miles College
- Liberal arts colleges in Alabama
- Historically black universities and colleges in the United States
- Educational institutions established in 1905
- Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- African-American history of Alabama
- Education in Jefferson County, Alabama
- Buildings and structures in Jefferson County, Alabama
- Methodism in Alabama
- Universities and colleges affiliated with the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
- Historic districts in Jefferson County, Alabama
- Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Alabama
- National Register of Historic Places in Jefferson County, Alabama